updated 09:20 am EST, Fri November 23, 2007

ZEN Stone Plus 4GB Slip

Creative has quietly posted details of a 4GB ZEN Stone Plus, revealing the company's increased efforts in the budget- and sports-oriented music player business dominated in the US by the iPod shuffle. The new version unveiled by Creative's Singapore site will hold about 1,000 songs but occupy the same size as earlier ZEN Stone models. As a Plus version, it also includes a small OLED screen for basic track info and permits FM radio. No price has been given, though the 2GB version currently offered sells for about $70 US and may point to a $100 price for the 4GB model, which appears to come only in black.

The update also brings AAC audio support to the ZEN Stone line, which has previously played only MP3 and WMA tracks. Songs bought using iTunes Plus will work with the device, Creative says. Extra format support is expected to filter down to the 2GB player.

In tandem with the leaked 32GB ZEN, the posting suggests an early boost in capacity for flash-based music players, with more storage available in the same amount of space. Creative has not said whether these extra storage levels are becoming possible due to technical advances or simple hikes in price, but the company is so far the only large-scale company known to reach these capacities without an increase in size.

Misinformation NN?

dliup: Not huge. About 2x1.5x0.5 inches, and under one ounce.

feathers: This one WILL mount as a mass storage device. From current product page: "Spot a music track you like in your friend's computer? Simply drag-and-drop it to your own ZEN Stone Plus, absolutely no drivers are needed..."

re /

toma-douche-bag (see, I can make fun of other people's names too. Are you people all 15 year olds?)

Maybe you and feathers should both learn to read (oh, wait, do I need to call you names too, like "moron"?). You're currently posting on Electronista, not MacNN. (Oh, and you also spelled testicles wrong - geesh, if you're going to make fun of someone's name, at least get it spelled correctly!)

Not to mention, as lee.rimar pointed out, feathers was completely wrong, as it will mount on any Mac (h***, most USB players do, its just the iPod that fails in this respect without special software).

Oh, I'm sorry, I'd go on now, but your mom's calling you for dinner. Run along now little boy.

apple shoud respond

I think this is a good thing for iPod user and the would be iPod user in general. I want an iPod for a long time but things that prevent me from buying it because I want the FM radio and recording function built-in. Most of the MP3 player have these functions but I don't understand why iPod don't have them ? How hard it gonna be to include these functions ? I want all the other players to grap 60% of the market share. So, Apple will finally realize and include these function to respond to the decline market share. You might ask why don't I buy other brands ? It because I love Apple products, they're just work. I'm using PC right now and I installed Windows XP for more than 10 times already but the reason that I use PC because I want Apple computer that doesn't exist, a midrange Mac. Macpro is too good and too expensive for me, iMac and Mac mini are too less expandable for me. I want a Mac that can put more than one harddisk in it, can change the graphic card, have more than 2 RAM slots. The price can be $300 more expensive than comparable specs PC, I still want to buy it but too bad Apple don't have this type of product. Anyone wishing for the same type of Mac as me ?